We celebrated the first day of 2019 with a drive in the country. An inch of crusty snow had fallen a few nights earlier, and the countryside looked wintry. Wildlife seemed tucked in on this frosty morning, but as we rounded a gravel road’s bend, we spotted 20 huge white birds in the stubble of a picked corn field.

They were too far away to identify. Were they snow geese or swans? Fortunately, our binoculars were at the ready and we were soon delighted to watch trumpeter swans feeding on corn missed by the combine.  

In previous years we would have had to rummage through coats, mini shovel, rope, and other debris stowed behind the pickup’s seat to find our binoculars. Too many times the birds we wanted to see departed before we found the optics. Not this time.

We recently received a Bino Dock device. It fits securely in a car or truck cup holder, making it easy to grab our binoculars quickly. Roof prism binoculars fit snugly into the Dock, reducing the odds of damage caused when optics are stored loosely under or behind a seat. More important they’re instantly available should we spot an unusual animal or even vintage airplane we want to observe more closely.

We found only one downside to the Bino Docks. Because they hold optics at the ready, they are visible from outside the vehicle. This could make them a target of thieves who are able to quietly and quickly break a side window and be off with valuables. We solved this problem by simply putting a dark colored baseball or stocking cap over the binoculars when we are away from the car. Remember it’s never wise to leave anything that appears to be valuable visible within a parked car. Stow them in the truck, under the seat, or cover them.

For information on Bino Docks see www.binodock.com. 

  Please note:   We were not paid to review Bino Docks.